Machine knitting

ABSTRACT

A YARN GUIDE BAR IS A WARP-KNITTING MACHINE IS PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF CAM FOLLOWERS JUXTAPOSABLE RESPECTIVELY TO PLURAL PATTERN CAM CHAINS OR THE LIKE TO DETERMINE THE PATTERN OF SHOGGING MOVEMENT OF THE GUIDE BAR. INTERCHANGING FROM ONE PATTERN TO ANOTHER IS BY PISTONS OR EQUIVALENT EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTABLE MECHANISMS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE GUIDE BAR AND THE CAM FOLLOWERS.

Feb. 16, 1971 s. c. TlTONE MACHINE KNITTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June-4, 1968 l/VVI/V/Of. SEYMOUR C TITONE United States 3,563,060 PatentedFeb. 16, 1971 3,563,060 MACHINE KNITTING Seymour C. Titone,Birchrunville, Pa., assignor to Titone eearch & Development Corporation,Burlington, Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 694,655, Dec.29, 1967. This application June 4, 1968, Ser. No. 734,331

Int. Cl. D04b 27/28 US. Cl. 66-86 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Ayarn guide bar in a warp-knitting machine is provided with a pluralityof cam followers juxtaposable respectively to plural pattern cam chainsor the like to determine the pattern of shogging movement of the guidebar. Interchanging from one pattern to another is by pistons orequivalent extensible and retractable mechanisms interposed between theguide bar and the cam followers.

This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application for MachineKnitting, Ser. No. 694,655 filed Dec. 29, 1967, describing methods andmeans for utilizing whichever of a plurality of patterns per yarn guidebar may be desired at any given period of time, as by shifting camfollowers for respective yarn guide bars laterally from one set ofpattern cam devices to another set thereof. Although quite feasible andsatisfactory for certain purposes, the apparatus arrangements disclosedtherein were not as adaptable as might be desired, inasmuch as thepattern interchanging affected simultaneously each of the guide bars(four in number) for which alternative patterns were provided.

A primary object of the present invention is improved interchanging ofpatterns per yarn guide bar in a warpknitting machine.

Another object is provision for separate interchanging of patterns forseparate yarn guide bars in a warpknitting machine.

A further object is provision of specific mechanism for accomplishingthe foregoing objects.

Other objects of the invention, together with means and methods forattaining the various objects, will be apparent from the followingdescription and the accompanying diagrams.

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of conventional apparatus components of aRaschel knitting machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pattern chain showingseveral cam links thereof and with a cam follower superimposed thereonin phantom;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly schematic, showingcomponents of FIG. 2 and related components, according to thisinvention;

FIG. 4 is a plan corresponding to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, of components of FIGS.3 and 4, taken at VV on FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan of pump and valve means for use with components ofpreceding views;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan of components useful in another embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, of components of FIG.7;

FIG. 9 is a plan of pump and valve means for the embodiment of FIGS. 7and 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of a further embodiment of thisinvention.

While the present invention is here applied to a Raschel machine havingtwo parallel needleheds, individually reciprocable, and yarn guide barsarranged to be swung laterally to pass the guides (and yarn threadedtherein) between needles in the respective beds and arranged to beshogged longitudinally along the beds, it will be apparent that withlittle or no adaptation the invention would be suitable for use inmachines of tricot type, and irrespective of number of needlebeds.

FIG. 1 shows, in end elevation, shaft 11 to which clamp 12 securesrocker arm 13 carrying a half dozen laterally swingable yarn guide bars15 on longitudinally slidable interconnecting rods 14. Each guide barhas a multiplicity of aligned yarn guides '16 (one visible on each bar)suspended therefrom near parallel front (F) and back (B) beds ofsimilarly aligned latch needles 19 (one visible in each bed) verticallyreciprocable one bed at a time. Portions of the frame and supportingelements for the guide bars and for the needles as well, together withdrive means therefor, also being conventional, are omitted from the viewin the interest of clarity.

FIG. 2 shows in perspective, pattern chain 21 in part, including severallinks 22 of equal height and intermediate link 23 of somewhat greaterheight. Shown in phantom superimposed on link 23 is a cam follower. Allthe components shown heretofore are conventional and conventionallyarranged, and the ensuing views show the application of this inventionthereto or to equivalent means.

FIGS. 3 and 4 shows, in side elevation and plan, respectively, and FIG.5 in enlarged sectional detail, apparatus according to this invention.Pattern chains 21a and 2112 are forwarded by rotation of drum 26 on axle25 past cam followers 27a and 27b, respectively, in the form of rollerssupported in respective yokes 29a and 2912 on the ends of piston rods30a and 30b. Pistons 33a and 33b on the respective rods fit slidably incylinders 35a and 3517, respectively, from whose far ends extendrespective hoses 37a and 37b. The cylinders are affixed to one end ofslide bar means including pusher bar 39, which terminates in fiatopposite end 41 after passing longi tudinally through journals in apusher box (shown in phantom). Bearing against end 41 of the pusher baris stud 42 extending from guide bar 15, which is biased into contacttherewith by extension spring 45 attached at one end to the guide bar bypin 44 and at the opposite end to a fixed part of a supporting frame bypin 46. FIG. 4 also shows second pair 31a, 31b of pattern chains on drum26 but omits, in the interest of avoiding repetition, any showing ofassociated components, which may be like those shown in association withpattern chains 21a, 2112.

FIG. 6 shows, in plan, centrifugal pump 48 having intake line 47 (opento the atmosphere or other appropriate fluid source) and with outletline 49 connected to rotary valve 50 whose body has twin interiorchannels (indicated in broken lines) one of which is shown makingconnection from the pump outlet to hose 37b. Fluid pressure so appliedjuxtaposes cam follower 27b to pattern chain 21b and maintains it incontact therewith. A quarter turn clockwise would disconnect the pumpoutlet from hose 37b and connect it to hose 37a by way of the indicatedalternate channel. It will be understood that resetting of the valve inthat position would move piston 33a to extend piston rod 30a and therebyjuxtapose cam follower 27a to pattern chain 21a. Bleed hole 34interconnecting cylinders 35a and 35b at the near end of theircontinguous walls permits some fluid cross-flow between the cylinders onthe unpressurized side and thus ensures opposite movement of piston3311, thereby retracting piston rod 30b to remove cam follower 27b fromcontact with pattern chain 21b upon (usually shortly after) removal offluid pressure from hose 37b.

Thus, at any given time, one or the other cam follower is in contactwith the corresponding pattern chain, and

the effect of fluid elasticity and inertia of reciprocating partsprovides sufficient overlap in contact periods at the instant of patterninterchange to preclude undersired shogging of the guide bar but withoutexceeding the period of travel of a chain link past the followerlocation. The moment of the interchange is selected at a location, inthe patterns of the respective chains, where both chains links at thepattern location are identical in height or thickness so that theinterchanging of cam followers from one link to the other does not shogthe guide bar. A course counter or equivalent device may be employed forsuch purpose.

It will be apparent that where more than one guide bar is so providedwith alternative patterns the respective guide bars may be shifted fromone pattern to another at different times according to this inventionrather than all being interchanged at once. This permits all guide barsto have alternative pattern means associated therewith, not all of whichneed be employed but only those required for whatever fabric combinationis desired to be manufactured.

It will also be apparent that all or any one or more of the guide barsof a warp-knitting machine, such as a Raschel machine, for example, maybe equipped with more than two alternative pattern devices. Thus, FIGS.7, 8, and 9 show fragmentarily, similarly to the ShOWing of a pair ofalternative pattern means per guide bar in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, anembodiment of this invention employing three pattern chains, camfollowers, etc. per guide bar. The reference numerals for correspondingparts in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 are higher by thirty than those in FIGS. 4,5, and 6 and in view of their similar functioning do not all have to bementioned. The added third components are designated by substitution ofthe letter c to their respective reference numerals, the first two suchcomponents being designated by the added letters a and b, respectively.

Thus, in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, two cam followers 59a, 59b are shown in theretracted position, out of contact with their associated pattern chains51a, 51b, While other cam follower 590 is in contact with its patternchain 510 because fluid pressure is being applied from pump 79 throughvalve 80 and through hose 670 to piston 63c. Instead of bleed holeinterconnections, cylinders 65a, 65b, and 650 contain compressionsprings 54a, 54b, and 54c, respectively, located in the forward portionabout respective piston rods 60a, 60b, and 600 to assure retraction ofthe cam followers carried on the respective piston rods when fluidpressure is removed from the hose lines supplying the correspondingcylinders. In FIGS. 7 and 8 only spring 540 is shown compressed, camfollower 570 being juxtaposed to pattern chain 51c, and in FIG. 9 valve80 is OK so far as hoses 67a and 67b are concerned, permitting springs54a and 54b to bias respective pistons 63a and 63b oppositely andthereby retract cam followers 57a and 5712 from pattern chains 51a and51b. Here threeway valve 80 differs from two-way valve 50 previouslyshown by receiving the pump outlet (hidden behind the pump body in FIG.9) centrally rather than at its periphery (as in the pump of FIG. 6),also by having two independent rotatable body portions (each withinternal passages indicated in broken lines) as desirable to switch thepump outlet most simply from interconnection with any one hose tointerconnection with any Other of the three hoses, as is a conventionalarrangement in the valve art.

Instead of, or in addition to, locating a plurality of pattern cam meansside by side and opposite cam followers carried extensibly andretractably with respect thereto for interchanging the pattern ofshogging movement for a given yarn guide bar, similar means may belocated above and below one another with like functioning and effect bymounting the extensible-retractable means on a lever arm pivoted formovement in a vertical plane. FIG. 10 illustrates such an arrangement,in side elevation, wherein cam 88 pivoted on fulcrum 89 at its lower endcarries cylinder midway of its length and cylinder 35 at its upper end.In this view components in the upper portion are numbered as in theprevious views but without added letters inasmuch as only one of each isvisible or required (although more than one side by side can beemployed) and similar components in an intermediate portion of the vieware numbered similarly but with primes added. Thus, midway up the leverarm, cam follower 27' is carried on yoke 29' opposite pattern chain 21on drum 26 and is shown juxtaposed to the chain and in contact with thelinks thereof, as piston rod 30' is extended from cylinder 35'. At thetop of the lever arm, piston rod 30 is retracted largely into cylinder35, thereby holding cam follower 27 out of contact with pattern drum 21.It will be understood, inasmuch as the top end of arm 88 moves twice asfar as does the midpoint of the arm when deflected by the chain links,that the links used in chain 21 at the intermediate level differ fromone another only half as much in height or thickness in the reflectingdirection as do the links used in chain 21 at the top.

In addition to benefits of permitted fabric design, the use of aplurality of pattern chains per guide bar instead of a single chain,which sometimes was so long and heavy as to be difficult to support andmove, permits lighter and more compactly arranged chain supports. Lesspower is required to move the chains, and the desired precision of linklocation is enhanced. Moreover, just as more than two pattern chains maybe located side by side for use according to this invention so may morethan two pattern chains be used in a vertical array for actuation of agiven guide bar. Thus, with corresponding proportioning in link gauge,pattern chains may be located at the one-third and two-thirds levelsopposite cooperating extensibleretractable means carrying cam followersfor the links, instead of midway; or at the one-fourth and three-fourthslevels in addition to midway, for example.

This invention is especially useful in Raschel knitting machines formanufacturing seamless panty hose, leotardlike garments generally, andhosiery. It also provides greater flexibility in design of otherunderwear, outerwear, and flat fabrics as well, manufactured on whatevertype of warp-knitting machines. Although such articles have beenillustrated and described in my aforementioned patent application,disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, innumerablevariations may be made therein by use of this invention. The number ofyarns, yarn count, yarn composition, stitch construction and design maybe varied as may be desired to vary the appearance of the resultingfabric or garment as to ornamental appearance, bulk, cover, elasticity,hand, wear-resistance, and other characteristics. In panty-hose, forexample, one or more added yarns may be laid in to render the panty orbody portion more opaque than the hose or leg portion, and the stitchconstruction may be varied for the same purpose, as by analogous use ofmultiple pattern chains for the guide bars furnishing yarn to the fabricpanels as for the guide bars interconnecting the front and back fabricpanels to form the resulting seamless tubular construction.

Apparatus embodiments illustrated and described herein are onlyexemplary rather than limitative, and modifications may be made therein,as by addition, combination, or subdivision of parts or steps, orsubstitution of equivalents, while retaining some or all of theadvantages and benefits of the invention, which is defined in thefollowing claims.

The claimed invention:

1. In means for controlling the longitudinal movement of a yarn guidebar in a warp-knitting machine in accordance with pattern means, theimprovement comprising a plurality of juxtaposed pattern means of whicha selected one thereof operates a single guide bar through a singleslide bar means, said slide bar means having on the end nearest saidpattern means a plural number of fluidactuated follower means which areselectively extensible and retractable toward one of said pattern meansto operate said guide bar.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including fluid actuating means forselectively actuating such extensible and retractable means betweenextended length and retracted length.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of such patternmeans are located side by side, and a like plurality of such followermeans for the same guide bar are likewise located side by side.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, including also at least one suchpattern means and associated follower means for the same guide bar butlocated at a different height from the plurality of correspondingside-by-side means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of such patternmeans are located at different heights, and a like plurality of suchfollower means for the guide bar are likewise located at differentheights.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, including at least one pattern cammeans and an associated cam follower for the same guide bar but locatedalongside one of the corresponding components aforementioned as being atdifferent heights from one another.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the extensible andretractable means is at least partially pneumatically actuated andincluding means for providing gas under pressure as the actuating fluid.

8. Warp-knitting machine comprising a bed of aligned spaced needles andan adjacent row of similarly aligned spaced yarn guides carried on aguide bar and movable in unison with respect to the needlebed, means formoving the guide bar to swing the yarn guides between the needles in theneedlebed, and means for moving the guide bar to shog the yarn guidesalong the needlebed, including a plurality of pattern cam means fordetermining a plurality of shogging paths of the yarn guides along theneedlebed, a like plurality of cam followers, each follower beingadjacent and juxtaposable to a corresponding one of the pattern cammeans, means for juxtaposing the re spective followers to the adjacentpattern cam means, means extensible to increased length and retractablet unextended length for interconnecting the guide bar with a selectedcam follower and thereby shogging the yarn guides in accordance with theselected pattern until selection of another cam follower andinterconnection of the guide bar therewith, and means for extending andretracting individually the means interconnecting the plurality offollowers to the guide bar at the instance of the juxtaposing means,including a like plurality of cylinder means, each having afluid-actuated piston therein with piston rod means extending therefrom,each piston rod means comprising a mounting for a corresponding one ofthe cam followers, and each cylinder means being retained inlongitudinally fixed position relative to the guide bar and movabletherewith.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, including a source of fluid, meansfor pumping the fluid into a selected one of the plurality of cylinders,and valve means for directing the pumped fluid to the selected cylinder.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein there are more than twocylinders retained in longitudinally fixed position relative to theguide bar and movable therewith.

11. In a Raschel knitting machine, the combination of a plurality ofpattern cam means per yarn guide bar for at least some of the guidebars, a corresponding plurality of cam followers, each cam followerbeing juxtaposable to and retractable from its corresponding pattern cammeans, and means operatively interconnected to the guide bar andactuatable so to juxtapose and retract selected cam followers, includingextensible and retractable fluidactuated means for juxtaposing andretracting the cam followers, wherein each of the fluid-actuated meanscomprises a piston and a cylinder with one of the latter two componentsaffixed to the corresponding cam follower and with the other of said twocomponents afiixed to the guide bar, whereupon the distance between thecam follower and the guide bar is dependent upon the extension andretraction of said two components relative to one another.

12. In a Raschel knitting machine having a plurality of yarn guide barsadjacent parallel needlebeds and movable longitudinally with respectthereto at the instance of pattern cam means and also movabletransversely with respect thereto, also having individual slide bars formoving the respective guide bars longitudinally at the instance ofpattern cam means, and wherein for a given design of seamless tubularfabric article the yarn guides of certain of the guide bars are utilizedto deliver yarn to form fabric panels on the respective needlebeds, andthe yarn guides of other guide bars are utilized to deliver yarn to formthe edge interconnections with the respective panels, the combination ofa plurality of pattern cam means for each of at least some of the guidebars whose yarn guides are utilized to deliver yarn to form the edgeinterconnections, a plurality of pattern cam means for each of at leastone of the guide bars whose yarn guides are utilized to deliver yarn tothe respective panels, and interconnecting follower means extensible toincreased length and retractable to unextended length interposed betweenthe pattern cam means and the slide bars for discontinuing actuation ofcertain of the latter guide bars by certain of the plurality of patterncam means through retraction to unextended length and substitutingactuation thereof by other of the plurality of pattern cam means byextending to increased length in a direction substantially parallel tothe guide bars, thereby being enabled to vary the fabric patternindependently of variation in the overall configuration of the seamlessarticle.

13. Raschel knitting machine according to claim 12, wherein therespective interconnecting means are extensible and retractableindependently of one another.

14. Warp-knitting machine comprising a bed of aligned spaced needles anda plurality of adjacent rows of similarly aligned spaced yarn guidescarried on respective guide bars laterally movable in unison andlongitudinally movable independently of one another with respect to theneedlebed, means for moving the guide bars to swing the yarn guideslaterally between the needles in the needlebed, and means for moving theguide bars longitudinally to shog the yarn guides along the needlebed,including for each of at least two of the guide bars a plurality ofpattern cam means for determining a plurality of shogging paths of theyarn guides along the needlebed, a like plurality of cam followers, eachfollower being adjacent and juxtaposable to a corresponding one of thepattern cam means, pneumatic means for juxtaposing the respectivefollowers independently of one another to the adjacent pattern cammeans, means for interconnecting such guide bar with a selected camfollower and thereby shogging the yarn guides in accordance with aselected pattern until selection of another cam follower andinterconnection of the guide bar therewith to shog the yarn guides inaccordance with another selected pattern wherein each such guide bar maybe shifted from one shogging pattern to another independently of eachother such guide bar as well as together therewith.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of patterncam means are located side by side, and the plurality of cam followersfor each such guide bar are likewise located side by side.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, including also at least one patterncam means and an associated cam follower for one such guide bar butlocated at a different height from the plurality of correspondingside-by-side components.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the pattern cam means arelocated at a plurality of different heights, and the plurality of camfollowers for each such guide bar are likewise located at correspondingheights.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, including at least one pattern cammeans and an associated cam follower for the same guide bar but locatedalongside one of the corresponding components aforementioned as being atdiflerent heights from one another.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/1928 Germany66-86 1/1924 France 6687 11/1960 Austria 66-86 11/1908 Germany 66-86 6/1909 Germany 66-86 11/1912 Germany 66--86 10/1913 Germany 6686 6/1914Germany 66-86 US. Cl. X.R.

